Consumer Safety Complaints

Search 2,245,377 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA, including 140,173 crashes, 56,794 fires, and 8,580 deaths.

2,245,377 Total Complaints

140,173 Reported Crashes

56,794 Reported Fires

8,580 Reported Deaths

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim, NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.

The database below contains over 2,245,377 individual complaints. NHTSA's investigators monitor it for clusters of similar reports, when enough owners describe the same failure mode on the same vehicle, NHTSA may open a Preliminary Evaluation that can lead to a recall. Many of the largest recalls in U.S. history, including the Takata airbag recall and the Hyundai/Kia engine fire recalls, started as patterns visible in this complaint database years before they became formal recalls.

How to interpret what you read

A few principles for reading consumer complaints usefully:

One complaint is anecdote; a hundred similar complaints is data. NHTSA does not investigate the truthfulness of any individual report, that's the job of the Office of Defects Investigation, which looks at the full pattern. When evaluating a vehicle, look for whether multiple owners describe the same chain of events.
Crash, fire, injury, and death flags are owner-set. They are not verified by NHTSA. They are still useful as a filter, because owners who tick those boxes are typically reporting more serious incidents than those who don't.
Component categories are NHTSA-assigned, not owner-assigned. NHTSA standardizes the component field so that complaints can be aggregated. The owner narrative often goes into more detail than the component category captures.
Complaint volume scales with sales volume. A best-selling model will accumulate more raw complaints than a niche model even at the same defect rate. To compare across vehicles, look at complaints per 100,000 units sold, not raw counts.

If you've experienced a defect

File a complaint. NHTSA's investigators rely on this database to detect emerging defects, and useful complaints, specific, concrete, with dates and mileage and clear descriptions of what happened, feed directly into the agency's pattern detection. The form takes about 10 minutes and is at nhtsa.gov/recalls under "Report a Safety Problem." Your complaint becomes part of the same public record that this page is built from. Owners filing detailed VOQs are how recalls get triggered.

Read more from our blog

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›

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Showing 169,480 complaints - component: ENGINE

Incident date: Oct 30, 2025

Coolant intrusion into the cylinders

Incident date: Apr 17, 2026

This complaint concerns failure of the remedy for Safety Recall Z46 / NHTSA Campaign 22V406 involving the high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) on a 3.0L diesel pickup. The HPFP had previously been replaced under the recall by an authorized dealer. About 19 months later, while the vehicle was at a dealership for service, the replacement HPFP failed again during dealer testing. The dealer documented meta... Read more

Incident date: Feb 6, 2026

Vehicle: 2022 Mercedes-Benz S580 The vehicle is experiencing a severe and violent drivetrain "jolt" or "push" during gear transitions, specifically when shifting from 5th to 6th gear at cruising speeds. On multiple occasions, the jolt was so forceful that passengers believed the vehicle had been rear-ended by another car. This behavior is unpredictable and creates a significant safety hazard, as... Read more

Incident date: Apr 19, 2026

It has been occurring ever since I purchased the truck in October 2023. I finally thought I should say something. Usually, the truck is at a complete stop. The truck can be warm or cold. As I press the accelerator down to move in the forward direction, there is a hesitation. No immediate acceleration. It lasts for at least one second before the acceleration begins. This can create a serious sa... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2025

Engine totaled because of oil starvation I'm guessing or maybe an oil pump failure oil starvation caused Pistons to rub inside of head cost of engine and work is more than the vehicles cost so that means car is totaled

Incident date: Apr 13, 2026

The car acceleration issues, taking a long time to go from 0-50 with the tachometer going up to 5 to do so. My MPG has gone from 33 to 28 mpg. There are times when I press on the gas but my car doesn’t move. It also makes loud “rumbling” or “whining” sounds at times.

Incident date: Apr 19, 2026

Subject: Safety Complaint – 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB (Active Recall) Reference: CMS Case #XXX Vehicle: 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB VIN: [XXX] I am filing a safety complaint regarding an active recall on my vehicle and the lack of a clear, safe resolution. The vehicle is currently under an active safety recall, and we have been advised it may not be safe to operate under certain conditions. At the s... Read more

Incident date: Apr 18, 2026

When the car is off and in park and you go to turn on the car on by pressing the brake and power button button, the electrical system doesn't register and wont turn the ignition on and the brake gets stuck and you cant start the car. The same thing happens when the cars auto ignition is turned off at a red light then you press the gas to go but it doesnt show the gear is in drive and the ignition ... Read more

Incident date: May 6, 2019

I have a 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL Sport S (2 door) with approximately 66,000 miles. On March 26th, 2026 I had a flashing check engine light come up along with the vehicle shaking in low gears. I had the vehicle towed to the Jeep dealership (Gandrud Auto Group) from which I bought it from and upon their inspection they found the left bank head gasket leaking coolant into the combustion chamber causing... Read more

Incident date: Apr 1, 2025

approximately 6 years my daughter and her boyfriend were driving and she heard a loud pop sound, and thought it might be a tire but it wasnt behaving like it was and then all of the sudden people are driving next to her telling her to pull over cuz the car was on fire, she pulled it over and as soon as she got out the whole car caught fire. when they noticed the fire it had started near or under t... Read more

Incident date: Apr 1, 2024

Recall of vehicle catching fire has not been taken care of even after contacting dealership.

Incident date: Apr 19, 2026

Multiple times of driving the vehicle as I am trying to press the gas pedal while driving it acts like it is not working and suddenly it stutters and stalls. The car will shut off and put you into to neutral while you try and pull over to the side of the road without being hit. It happens randomly and without rhyme or reason. After it shuts off codes are thrown such as brake failure, emissions fai... Read more

Incident date: Apr 1, 2024

On March 4, 2026, the engine in my 2021 Kia Sportage malfunctioned while I was driving on a local road on Long Island, NY. The check engine light illuminated, the vehicle lost the ability to accelerate normally, and the steering wheel became heavy and difficult to turn at the same time. This created a serious safety risk, as I was unable to maneuver or accelerate normally and could have been stran... Read more

Incident date: Apr 18, 2026

Coolant keeps going low. No visible leaking spots. Been to 2 mechanic's. Both said Ford defective engine block. Coolant leaking into cylinder 1. Recommended engine replacement. Check engine light. Verified 300 # codes. Misfire. Foul and rough start ups. Been on 4 or 5 months.

Incident date: Apr 19, 2026

Engine has 86k miles and has been well maintained. Recently it started to consume oil rapidly as per last oil change report. We took it to dealership after oil change mechanic suggested needing to have problems looked at per Kias recent service bulletins on high oil consumption issues. I requested the car be evaluated for the oil issue and the dealership service tech confirmed "engine damage DUE ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 19, 2026

I was driving down the interstate, the engine started making noise, a saw big puff of Blue smoke in the vehicle. Lost all power

Incident date: Apr 19, 2026

On April 13, 20026 while traveling on a divided highway at about 70 mph, the car suddenly experienced rapid de-acceleration, similar to if someone slammed on the brakes. At the same time all dashboard warning lights began flashing. The car had failed and couldn't be driven. The Honda dealer in Rochester Minnesota said the turbocharger had failed. This was a very dangerous situation as it posed a ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 19, 2026

2022 GMC Sierra Denali 6.2 L Engine failure at 32,000 miles/924 Hours on 9/2024. Was driving truck dashboard lit up, popped into neutral entering a main road. Thankfully my son wasn’t hit by oncoming traffic. Vehicle would not start called Police, tow truck and was found to be total catastrophic engine failure. New engine was replaced. New engine has roughly 22,000 trouble free miles.

Incident date: Apr 19, 2026

Vehicle experienced sudden engine stall/shutdown after warning indicators illuminated. While driving at low speed, the ABS warning light, front collision warning light, and check engine light appeared. After placing the vehicle in Park, the engine shut off unexpectedly. Vehicle would then restart but stall again within several seconds. This created a serious safety concern because the vehicle cou... Read more

Incident date: Mar 23, 2026

After completion of recall repair, changing oil weight from 0w20 to 0w40, I encountered loud squealing and knocking sounds from the engine bay. As catastrophic failure has been reported the vehicle was immediately taken to the closest GM dealership, Southern Chevrolet of Chesapeake, VA.

Incident date: May 12, 2025

Lost power. System said to pull over immediately. Error code P0A43.

Incident date: Nov 21, 2025

*ICCU assembly and ICCU fuse fault (a kia recall SC327( NHTSA ID: 24V867000) for ICCU was performed months early but does't help AND iccu crash) *yes - cars stop workind in the midle of nower at 317 mile away from home with 5 persons in) *yes ( kia already performed recall SC327 for our car but doest help and the ICCU crash) *yes *yes-vehicle broke down while driving.Had to be towed to closest Kia... Read more

Incident date: Apr 18, 2026

My car stalled with no precursors. The engine and oil was maintain but the engined stall with out smoke or mixed oil. This error falls directly under the recall for pistion rings that cause engine failure. I brought my vehicle to Archer Kia and after two-three months of waited for the recall repair they stated that they could not repair the failed engine under the recall that causes failed engines... Read more

Incident date: Feb 10, 2026

I drive this vehicle on higher speed roads to work everyday. Roads also used by large tractor trailers and like larger vehicles. I was told by dealer that I had broken exhaust manifold studs at a previous oil change. While driving the truck it seemed to lose power for a short time but I was in traffic and assumed the loss of power at that time was related to a possible exhaust leak.I scheduled a a... Read more

Incident date: Aug 6, 2025

I took my vehicle to the dealership to have all recall work done on Feb. 11th 2026. I was told i am up to date on all my recall work at that time. When I received my vehicle back It would intermittently just shut down for no apparent reason while sitting at stop lights, or just stopped in that fashion. I called and the dealership they said unless they could recreate the issue somewhat easily there... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Apr 18, 2026

At 144000 miles all vehicle lights came on and vehicle engine would shake and vibrate. Computer said misfire on cylinder three. Changed spark plugs and coil. Problem still persisted. Mechanic recommended replacing fuel injectors so i did. After injectors were replaced all the lights came back on and the car runs worse. I believe its a blown head gasket now and the mechanic is testing the hea... Read more

Incident date: Apr 9, 2026

4/2/26, very hard to start the engine and engine warning light was blinking. noticed significant amount of fuel leaking on driver side of engine. The vehicle was towed to Genesis dealership. 4/3/26, engine cylinder #4 fuel leaking due to broken o-ring per dealership. Crossover fuel pipe and o-ring were replaced.

Incident date: Dec 23, 2025

I was pulling into a parking spot and my vehicle suddenly lurch forward, and I had to slam on the brakes quickly, scraping the front of the curb. I checked there was no warning lights. I checked the floor mat, and this was not impeding the accelerator pedal I am certainly I did not accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake.

Incident date: Dec 18, 2025

My vehicle has stop working because the engine has a crack and coolant is leaking into cylinder block. My vehicle is currently at a Ford dealership and I was directed by my warranty plan. The dealership inspected vehicle and found the issue... Ford warranty does not want to pay for the repair or recall. I would like to open and investigation Thanks

Incident date: Mar 4, 2026

On April 14th, 2026 we were driving on the road, the car overheated. We shut it off, sat for a few minutes. Started driving again and had to sit in roadwork, within 1 minute the car started to overheat again. We pulled into the gas station, checked coolant levels, all fine. We let the car sit for 20 minutes or so, we tried to turn the car on and the engine started sputtering and all dash lights ca... Read more

Incident date: Mar 4, 2026

Engine oil Exceeds level light came on out of nowhere. I got the oil changed over a month ago and never added more oil in truck. One day as I am driving the oil lamp light came on and the warning message came across the dash.

Incident date: Apr 17, 2026

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection? The engine experienced catastrophic internal failure. A connecting rod broke and punctured the engine block, rendering the vehicle completely inoperable. This failure is consistent with overheating and internal engine damage. The vehicle is currently available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 12, 2026

The vehicle exhibits unintended acceleration behavior when the brake pedal is applied. Instead of slowing down, the engine revs and the vehicle does not decelerate as expected. On March 16, 2026, while merging onto a highway and applying the brakes, the engine suddenly revved to approximately 3,500 RPMs while the vehicle failed to slow down. There have been previous issues with the vehicle not sl... Read more

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

I was driving my 2019 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 2.0T/AT to the gym with my spouse. No Check Engine Light, Jeep Temps were perfect. All gauges operated as it should, so there was no sign of trouble. The vehicle was OFF. We parked and walked into the gym and then into the 1 set of exercises, Someone yelled in the gym that someone's truck was on fire. We ran outside and Lo and Behold it was ou... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Apr 17, 2026

It show in the panel the check engine symbol & sometimes when I turn off the car the windows come down and the radio doesn’t want to work I can’t change stations even turn off the radio I need to shutdown the car and started again and then works the radio

Incident date: Apr 14, 2026

My car started getting hot, began to overheat. I was on my way home on freeway. Second lane from slow lane. My car began to loose power, I could no longer excelerate. There was a big rig coming up behind me he was not slowing down as he got closer began honking I was trying to flag him that I could not move, as I was trying it started to go like 5 miles per hour where i began slowly to get over, ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 15, 2026

I am writing to formally escalate a serious safety complaint regarding my vehicle, which is currently under an active recall and was already scheduled for repair next month. On a recent occasion, the vehicle suddenly and completely shut off while I was driving inside a tunnel, creating an extremely dangerous situation that could have resulted in a severe accident. At the time, I was driving with ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 17, 2026

While driving approximately 35 MPH on a 4 lane major roadway, the vehicle suddenly shut off in motion, resulting in a complete loss of power. This included loss of power steering and the ABS system. The vehicle effectively locked up, and a message appeared on the display instructing me to place the vehicle in park. As a result of the shutdown, the vehicle lost all propulsion and came to a complete... Read more

Incident date: Apr 18, 2026

When taking off it will sometime have hard shifts, shuddering, and acceleration hesitation. While driving, it will do static jolts. Dealer couldn’t pin point problem and advised for a new transmission or we could drive it until it dies. Dealer didn’t recommend to change transmission oil in fear of creating more damage.

Incident date: Apr 11, 2026

Driving in a construction zone. Two lane highway and my car immediately went into limp mode. Left me and my children stranded on the side of the road while semis and cars driving 65 mph went past very close to us. Honda knows these accords have head gasket issues and it is unsafe to be driving them.

Incident date: Nov 12, 2025

I own a 2018 Honda Accord EX-L with a 1.5L turbocharged engine. The vehicle began overheating while idling and at low speeds, cooling down when driving at higher speeds. I brought the vehicle to a Honda dealership where a pressure test confirmed internal coolant loss with no external leaks found. The dealership diagnosed a head gasket failure and recommended replacement at a cost of $8,941. The co... Read more

Incident date: Apr 16, 2026

I was driving on the highway, I-55 N just north of Bloomington. I was on cruise control and was coming up to a lane merge going into construction zone. I braked, moved over, turned off cruise control and noticed the engine was cut off and rpm’s dropped to 0. Luckily I was able to get to the shoulder before the highway merged with no shoulder in construction zone. I have the 6.2 L engine in the G... Read more

Incident date: Apr 16, 2026

I have reported the same exact issue that Ford recalled April 14,2026 with my vehicle. I almost had an accident by it changing from automatic to the gears & it comes to a sudden stop when it do it. I guess someone or me gonna have to lose a life before some look at my issue. It showing a recall was on my truck in 2019 Before I brought the truck. The recall HAS NOT BEEN DONE ON MY TRUCK. PLEASE HEL... Read more

Incident date: Mar 13, 2026

While driving on a two-lane highway at approximately 80–85 mph and attempting to pass another vehicle, the engine suddenly shut off without warning. The vehicle lost all propulsion, and steering assist was significantly reduced, creating a dangerous situation and nearly resulting in a head-on collision with oncoming traffic. Warning lights including check engine and low power steering illuminat... Read more

Incident date: Mar 29, 2026

My L87 engine has failed due to a manufacturing issue. The recall number for this issue is N252494000. Upon contacting GMC, they state that my VIN number is not included in this recall despite having the same exact issues. I took the vehicle into a mechanic as soon as a problem had arose.

Incident date: Apr 15, 2026

My GMC sierra with 40000 miles The check engine light turn on and was steady on when driving on the highway I loose a power on the vehicle for a few seconds and almost a semi truck behind me hit me because I don’t have any power on the vehicle, I stop on a safe place and try to start the vehicle again immediately call dealer for appointment an start drive to home. The lady on General Motors say ... Read more

Incident date: Nov 30, 2025

The vehicle has had two catalytic converters replaced in 70,000 miles

Incident date: Apr 18, 2026

A failed (frozen) Turbocharger Wastegate Actuator. An engine warning light came on and engine had less power. It had to be replaced. There was a settled law suit for the same issue covering this item in previous vehicles settled in 2025.

Incident date: Mar 22, 2026

I am filing this updated complaint to supplement my prior complaint (NHTSA ID No. XXX, filed January 27, 2026) regarding a recurring, safety-critical engine defect in my 2020 Lexus IS300 RWD, 8AR-FTS engine. DEFECT: Three documented misfire events over seven weeks. The second (12/11/2025) and third (1/17/2026) each involved a temporary stall in active traffic requiring immediate evasive action. Al... Read more

Incident date: Apr 17, 2026

Component/System Failure: The failure involves the engine cooling system, specifically the radiator, fan shroud, and oil cooling lines. The oil cooling lines are improperly routed or positioned, causing them to press against the plastic fan shroud. Over time, this pressure deforms the shroud inward, leading it to rub against the aluminum radiator and create pinhole leaks. The damaged components ar... Read more

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Consumer Safety Complaints

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

How to interpret what you read

If you've experienced a defect

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